Jazz-Warriors Preview

By JEFF BARTLPosted Apr 06 2013 5:11PM

When Mark Jackson was hired as Golden State Warriors coach in June 2011, he vowed to raise expectations for a franchise that had qualified for the playoffs once since 1994.

Now Jackson is hoping his team isn't satisfied with simply reaching the postseason.

Golden State can clinch a playoff berth with a victory Sunday night while putting a damper on the visiting Utah Jazz's playoff hopes in the process.

The Warriors went 23-43 in the lockout-shortened season of 2012 - Jackson's first leading the team. They've made a dramatic turnaround this season, improving to 44-32 with their third straight win, 111-107 over Phoenix on Friday.

Golden State, which last made the playoffs in 2006-07 when Utah eliminated it in five games in the conference semifinals, holds a slim lead on seventh-place Houston for the Western Conference's No. 6 seed.

"This isn't a surprise to those guys in the locker room," Jackson said. "They put the time in, they worked their tails off and this was a goal. People have counted out this group, people continue to count out this group. We're going to continue to chip away at each and every one of our goals.

"That being said, we'll talk about it when it's said and done."

Stephen Curry, averaging 26.3 points during a 7-2 stretch for the Warriors, has been the main catalyst for a team consisting of many players without postseason experience.

He scored 18 points and tied his career high with 15 assists as Golden State overcame an 18-point deficit Friday.

"There are a lot of people in the locker room that haven't tasted (the playoffs) before," Curry said. "For us to be right there and have a home game to clinch it, we understand we have a bigger goal than that, but it will nice to get the `X' by your name.

"We are a lot more mature team and are playing a lot better basketball, obviously, going into the last six games of the year."

Utah isn't feeling quite as comfortable about its postseason prospects as it trails the Los Angeles Lakers by one-half game for the final spot.

After Sunday's contest, the Jazz (40-37) face Oklahoma City and have a home-and-home set with Minnesota before finishing at Memphis on April 17.

Utah, though, is playing some its best basketball down the stretch. Gordon Hayward scored 23 points as the Jazz beat New Orleans 95-83 on Friday for their sixth victory in seven tries.

"We've played relatively well here coming down to the end," Hayward said. "Golden State is going to be a tough test for us and we've got to be ready for that one."

The Jazz have split two meetings with the Warriors this season, winning the last contest 115-101 on Feb. 19 despite 29 points from Curry. Al Jefferson scored 24 - his average over his last three games versus Golden State.

"Now it's on to a tougher game on the road against a plus-.500 team and we'll see where we're at," said forward Paul Millsap, who had 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists Friday. "We know we have what it takes to get (to the playoffs). We feel like we're the better team, we just have to go out there and prove it."

The Warriors have held the Jazz to an average of 87.0 points while winning three of the last four home meetings.

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Jazz top Warriors 97-90, regain 8th spot in West

By ANTONIO GONZALEZPosted Apr 07 2013 11:59PM

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Some Utah Jazz players watched the Lakers-Clippers game on a big-screen television inside the locker room while they prepared to face the Golden State Warriors. Others followed the contest on cellphones while riding on the late bus to the arena. Coach Tyrone Corbin just checked the final score when the Lakers lost.

"You could see the look on everybody's face change," Jazz guard Randy Foye said. "Nobody said anything. It was just everybody had that look on their face, `You know what time it is. You know what we have to do."'

While the Warriors had a chance to seal a playoff spot, Utah seized the opportunity for itself.

Mo Williams hit a huge 3-pointer in the final seconds to finish with 25 points, Al Jefferson added 19 points and 12 rebounds and the Jazz regained the Western Conference's final playoff position over the Lakers by holding off the Warriors 97-90 on Sunday night for a monumental road win.

"I can't say enough about this group of guys," Corbin said. "This was all about them and them wanting it, and the way they came out. Although we made some mistakes in the game, everybody laid everything they had in them out there on the floor."

Williams' 3-pointer with 13.4 seconds remaining put Utah ahead by six and spoiled Golden State's shot to clinch a playoff berth in front of a 29th sellout crowd of 19,596. The Jazz moved a half-game ahead of the Lakers for the eighth seed. Utah also owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series 2-1 against the Lakers, who lost to the Clippers 109-95 earlier in the day.

"Four games left. We've got have them," Jefferson said.

Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half and Klay Thompson had 20 points for the Warriors, who were trying to clinch a postseason spot for the first time since 2007 and just the second in 19 years.

Now that celebration will have to wait.

David Lee, who has never been to the playoffs in his eight NBA seasons, added 21 points and 13 rebounds for Golden State, which was outplayed inside by Utah's front line of Jefferson, Derrick Favors (12 points, 13 rebounds) and Paul Millsap (11 points, six rebounds) most of the way.

"We still control our own situation, which is good, but you don't want to have this feeling again," Curry said. "We've got to get it done and there's no excuse for us not to."

The Jazz looked every bit like a team playing with everything at stake, just as Corbin had hoped before the game. They outhustled and outmuscled Golden State for most of 48 minutes, holding off one final flurry for a critical win in front of the an Oracle Arena crowd eager to celebrate.

After the Warriors went down 11 points late in the fourth quarter, Thompson and Curry each hit a 3-pointer to cut Utah's lead to 91-86 with 3:28 to play. Reserve Draymond Green followed by tipping in Lee's miss to bring the Warriors within three.

Jefferson hit a jumper that silenced fans standing all over the arena, then Lee answered with a layup to bring the crowd back to full throat. Golden State forced another stop, but wasted the offensive opportunity.

Green had his layup blocked by Favors, who keyed Utah's defense all game, but got the ball back and tossed it out to Jarrett Jack - who missed a contested 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down. The Jazz isolated Williams at the top of the arc against Green, and he drained the shot that sent Utah home with a monumental win.

"I don't know what's going on with them, to be honest," Williams said of Golden State's playoff-starved crowd. "We've got enough going on with us."

The Warriors are just a game ahead of Houston - which owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series 3-1 - for the West's sixth seed. Golden State still needs any combination of two wins or losses by the conference's ninth team to seal a playoff berth.

"They played like a team that their playoff lives depended on this game," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "We played, at times, like a team that had a cushion."

Curry kept the Warriors close by scoring the first nine points during his team's erratic start, which included four turnovers in the game's first 4:12. He made his first three shots from the arc, the last giving Golden State a 38-29 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Jazz erased that deficit in fewer than four minutes behind a 17-4 run capped by Gordon Hayward's 3-pointer. After going ahead by 10 points on consecutive deep 3s by Foye and Williams, Utah held on for a 56-48 halftime lead.

Golden State sliced Utah's lead to a point in the third quarter before the Jazz took control again. Jefferson converted a layup over Jack to start a three-point play that highlighted a 10-1 spurt that put Utah up 75-65, a deficit the Warriors never could overcome.

"No way," Favors said, "did I want to see them celebrate."

NOTES: Utah won the season series 2-1. ... Jazz reserve F Alec Burks sat out with a sprained right ankle, which occurred during Utah's win over New Orleans on Friday night. He is day to day. ... The Warriors signed G Scott Machado from Santa Cruz of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract.

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Jazz 97, Warriors 90

THE FACTS: In their pursuit for a berth into the Western Conference playoffs, the Utah Jazz took advantage of a major opportunity presented to them Sunday evening. Having moved into a tie before their game against the Golden State Warriors because of a Los Angeles Lakers loss, the Jazz went on to post a 97-90 win over the Warriors at Oracle Arena Sunday.

The victory gives the Jazz (41-37) a one-half game lead for the No. 8 seed. Utah now has four games left -- two at home -- and the Lakers have five left. But, more importantly, the Jazz now control their own fate. They also hold a tiebreaker with the Lakers thanks to a 2-1 mark during the season series.

Mo Williams sealed the game with a 3-pointer that gave the Jazz a 96-90 lead with 14.9 seconds left. Williams led all scorers with 25 points on a season-high 11 made field goals. Al Jefferson added 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Warriors (44-33), who had a chance to clinch their first playoff berth since 2007, got 22 points from Stephen Curry, but he was held to just five in the second half. David Lee scored 21 points and Klay Thompson added 20. Lee also grabbed 13 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "As soon as we got to the arena, we were watching the game between the Lakers and the Clippers and we saw the Lakers were losing. Immediately, I saw the expression on everyone's face change. We all knew that if they lost and if we won, that would put us up on them. Everyone was ecstatic and you could tell by everyone's demeanor when we took that court that it was time to take care of business."

-- Jazz guard Randy Foye

THE STAT: In what appears to be a nice battle for this year's Sixth Man of the Year award, the Jazz's Derrick Favors continues to state his case. He notched his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds in 30 minutes.

TURNING POINT: After the Warriors took a 38-29 lead in the second quarter, the Jazz responded with a 27-10 run to take a 56-48 halftime lead. The Jazz held that lead for the game's final 28:27. Each time the Warriors closed to gap to within striking distance, the Jazz had an answer.

QUOTABLE II: "Well, you know, I can't say enough about this group of guys. This was all about them and them wanting it. ... Although we made some mistakes in the game, everybody laid everything they had in them out there on the floor tonight and as a result we were able to get a good win."

-- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin

HOT: Curry started out on fire, hitting six of his first eight shots that included a 3-for-3 mark on 3-pointers for 17 in the first half.

GOOD MOVE: After Curry struck for 17 points in the first half and hit a trio of 3-pointers, he was held to just five points and one 3-pointer in the second half because of stout defense by Williams and Favors.

NOTABLE: The Warriors quest for their second playoff appearance in 19 years is put on hold. They still hold a slim one-game lead over the Houston Rockets for the No. 6 spot and the magic number to secure the first playoff berth since 2007 is two. ... This was the 29th consecutive sellout for the Warriors, who have sold out 31 of 38. ... Lee recorded his 30th 20-point, 10-reobund game and 52nd double-double. ... This was Thompson's 26th 20-point game of the season. ... The Jazz have won seven of their last eight on the heels of losing 12 of 15. ... The Jazz have a 7-3 record when Williams scores 20-plus points. ... Jefferson's double-double was his 34th of the season.